Bills help small businesses grow by eliminating red tape
HARRISBURG (April 16, 2019) – The Pennsylvania House of Representative’s Environmental Resources and Energy Committee today voted to move a series of regulatory reform bills to a full House vote. The bills will help eliminate red tape for thousands of Pennsylvania small businesses. NFIB, which represents small and independent companies in the state, applauded the Representatives on the committee who voted in favor of these five bills.
“Small businesses bear the costs of government regulation and paperwork more than their larger counterparts,” said Gordon Denlinger, state director of NFIB. “We’ve seen regulatory reform at the national level have a real impact. Small business optimism continues to be high. Now we need to lift some of the state-level burdens to help Pennsylvania small businesses grow.”
The bills would give the General Assembly the duty to approve any new regulations that cost the state more than $1 million (HB 806), and the ability to repeal a current regulation with the approval of the governor (HB 430). Another bill would require state agencies to have a Regulatory Compliance Officer work collaboratively with the regulated community, issue advisory opinions on how to comply with regulations, and allow a business that follows that advice not to be penalized (HB 762).
A fourth bill (HB 509) requires agencies to post permit information online so the public can track progress, final approval, and the reason for rejection. Delays of more than 30 days would have to be outsourced to a third-party review. Another bill in the package (HB 414) would require the state to process applications for a common earth disturbance permit within 45 days and within 20 days if submitted by a licensed engineer. The final bill (HB 1055) would create an Office of the Repealer to recommend repeal, modification, or revision of current regulations, and require that two regulations be repealed for every new regulations proposed.
NFIB thanked the House sponsors including Rep. Dawn Keefer, Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, Rep. Tim O’Neal, Rep. Greg Rothman, Rep. David Zimmerman, and Rep. Kate Klunk along with ERE Chairman Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, for focusing on these issues.
